Automatic air clamp and release for tubular benders



Sept. 16, 1930.

.H.A E. HARVEY ETl AL i AUTOMATIC A IR GIMP AND-RELEASE FOR TBULAR BENDERS s.

Filed Feb. 25, 1926 2 Shit'l-Shoet 1 Fig 2 Sept. 16, 1930. H. HARVEY Er AL l 1,775,761

AUTOMATIC AIR CLAMP AND RELEASE FOR TUBULAR BENDERS Filed Feb, 2s. 192e a shuts-sheet 2v WK u w ai f1 Il |13 y lfm'm'lrj? i l 1' e 1 23 2 A a 'lull' l l 11| I I I 'I l L; l l i 24 l Z'zg.` 5 l i 1 i 1 l Ill :rm NTI/52mg@ nml n Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY E. HARVEY AND EARL K. HOLMES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, :BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO STEEL AND TUBES, INC., F CLEVELAND, 01110, A COB- PorwrroN oF omo AUTOMATIC CLAMP AND RELEASE FOR TUBULAR IBENDERS yApplication led February 23, 1926. Serial No. 89,970.

This invention relates tothe art of bending elongated metallic articles and is more particularly concerned with pipe bending apparatus of the rotating bending roll type.

One object of the invention is to construct a bending machine of the rotating bending roll type having means for automatically hol tripping both the article supporting and roll rotating means.

Another object is to construct apparatus of the class described having a single control or the means for actuatingthe article supporting means and the bending roll.

A further object is to constructapparatus of the class described having a single control for connecting and disconnecting the sources of power with the article supporting and roll rotating means. l

Other objects will appear and be pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawingsl forming a part of this applicationl j Fig. 1 is a to plan view of one form of apparatus embo ying our invention; Fig. 2 isa frontside elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a right side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1; t l

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sectional views of the fluid control valve forming a part of the apparatus of Fig. 1v; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view ofthe left side of the device of Fig. 1. Y

The form of apparatus embodying our invention and lherein illustrated and described is constructed to bend elongated metallic articles, more specifically pipe. It com rises a v `2 1pirovided with a top plate or cover 3 upon ch a rotatable bendin roll or die 4 and a lon 'tudinally slidable die or follower shoe ding member or kee er 5 are mounted. The die members 4 an 5 are provided as shown with suitably formed recesses 6 and'7 to receive a substantially cylindrical pipe, the recess 7 in member 5 running from end to end 4or vthe die member and being substantially straight, while the recess 6 in the member 4 is straight for a portion of its length and is then curved into semi-circular form about the curved part of the roll. A pipe to be bent is fitted between roll 4 and die 5 and is clamped to roll 4 by a clamping die or shoe 8 and clamp 9. A trip member 9a attached to roll 4 has an inclined surface to engage with a trip device presently to be described.

The die member 5 is pressed toward the member 4 by apparatus conveniently carried by the cover 3 on the side. of the member 5 opposite the member 4. This mechanism comprises a combined cylinder and toggle frame 10 secured adjustably to the cover 3, as by cap screws 11 extending through elongated openings 11a therein. When the cap screws 11 are loosened the member 10 may be adjusted toward or away from the die member 5 by the adjusting bolts'12 carried by a bracket 13 which is secured to the cover 3 as shown. A piston 14 ts slidably in the cylinder portion of the frame 10 and carries a connecting rod 15 which is joined to a wedge plate 16 carrying to gle links 17, two of which are connected t(by `suitable pins 18 to the frame 10 and the other two of which are connected by similar pins 18a to a movable keeper 19 provided with a plurality of recesses 20 to receive anti-friction rollers which project slidably beyond the edge of the keeper to engage with the back surface of die member 5. A spring 21 between the piston. 14 and frame 10 serves to restore the piston to the position shown in Fig. 1 when the pressure in the cylinder is released.

The cylinder portion of the member 10 is closed by a cylinder head 22 through which a fluid pipe 23 opens, the said pipe leading to a control valve 24 which is provided with an inlet pipe 25 and an exhaust pipe 26. The valve 24 consists of a body member 27 provided with a cover 28 and has tapped openings 23, 25 and 26a to receive the pipes 23,

25 and' 26, respectively. The member 27 isV ings 23a and 26a. The valve 30 may be formed from a single block of material recessed on one side as at 31 to form a passage connecting the openings 23a and 26a and on the other side with a recess 32 extending from end to end thereof to connect the openings 23a and 25, when suitably positioned in the member 27. A collar 33 carried by'the rod 29 serves to space the valve 30 from one end of the member 27, thereby preventing communication of the openings 25a and 26a. It will be noted by referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5 that suiiicient space is provided in the member 27 so that the valve 30 may be moved to- .ward the intake end far enough to uncover the outlet to pipe 23. The rod 29 is connected by a link 34 attached to a hand lever 35 which is pivotally supported by a hanger 36 secured to the cylinder 2, preferably beneath the member 10.

The bending roll 4 is rotated by a shaft 37 connected at will by a clutch 38 to a ring gear 39 disposed within the cylinder 2 which gear meshes with a worm gear 40 carried by a shaft 41 which is mounted for rotational movement in bosses 42 on the cylinder 3. This shaft 41 carries a pulley 43 and a clutch 44. The clutch is actuated by a collar 45 having pins which engage in the bifurcated ends of yokes 47 attached to the one end of a crank arm lever 48. This lever 48 is pivoted on brackets 49 carried by an extension support 50 attached to the member 1. The other endof the lever 48 is pivotally connected to one end of the lever 35 as by an adjustable link 51. Movement of the lever 48 about its pivot in brackets 49 serves to slide the collar 4'5 lengthwise of shaft 41, thereby operatively connecting and disconnecting the power pulley 43 with shaft 41 and thus actuating gears 40, 39 and, when clutch 38 is in place, shaft 37 and bending roll 4. Lever arm 48, by reason of its connection with lever 35, is actuated simultaneously with movement of the lever 35 and, in this manner, whenever the slide 30 in the control valve 24 is actuated the shaft 4l is also actuated. From the foregoing description it will be understood that the movement of the single lever 35 not only permits actuation of the die member 5 toward the bending roll 4, but also causes rotation of the roll in one direction. The bending roll is preferably restored to its starting position by first disengagement of the clutch 38 on its shaft with the ring gear 39 and then manual rotation.

Means are provided for automatically tripping the mechanism for rotating the roll 4 and the mechanism for holding the die member 5 thereagainst. As illustrated, this means comprises a lever 52 pivotally supported by brackets 53 on top of cover 3, this lever bearing at one end a block 54 to be engaged on the' underside thereof by the trip member 9al which engagement raises the block'54 and pivots the lever 52 about its support in the brackets 53. At the opposite end the arm 52 is connected to a crank 55 which in turn is keyed to a shaft 56 carried beneath the cover 3 in suitable bearing blocks 57. This shaft 56 carries another crank 55a similar to crank 55 but connected to a link 58 which in turn is joined to a bent lever 59 carrying therein adjacent to the bend a roller 6l to rest on the top surface of the lever 48. The other end of the bent lever 59 is pivotally carried by brackets 60 secured to the member 1.

It will be understood that when the block 54 is raised, the resulting downward movement of the arm 52 is transmitted through the crank 55, shaft 56, crank 55a and thence by way of link 58, lever 59 and roller 61 to arm 48, depressing the latter and raising the grip end ofthe lever 35 which carries upwardly with it rod 29 and slide 30. This movement of the slide connects the pipe 23 with the exhaust 26 relieving the pressure on Wedge block 16 and keeper 19 and permitting die 5 to move away from the roll 4. Simultaneous with this downward movement of arm 48 the clutch on shaft 32 is moved to disconnect the driving pulley, thereby interrupting the driving of shaft 41. When clutch 38 is disengaged as by lever 62 the roll 4 may be manually restored to starting position after the clamp 9 has been disengaged and the bent pipe removed. This tripping action obviously may be accomplished simply by downward movement ofthe grip end of the lever 30, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Although the apparatus is shown as adjusted for making a right angle bend, it may he adjusted to trlp after a smaller bend has been made simply by varying the position of the Atripping mechanism including parts 9n and/or 52, 53, 54 and 55 or by otherwise stopping the bending action when desired. In

' certain instances the parts 52,53 and 54 may b e cnnected to crank 55b instead of 55, if desire Having thus described our invention so that those skilled in the art may be enabled to practice the same, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed, it bein understood that the foregoing detailed escription has been given merely'for the purpose of illustrating and not for limiting our invention. Changes in theV apparatus described and not amounting to invention may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

1. Apparatus for bending elongated metallic articles comprising in combination, a rotatablebending roll, a follower shoe or die, a keeper operatively associated therewith and movable transversely of the axis of the article to be bent, and means having a single control for simultaneously actuating the keeper and rotating the roll.

tatable bending roll, a follower shoe, a keeper operatively associated-therewith and movable relative thereto, and means, including a pivsignatures this 1 oted lever, for actuating'the keeper and for v rotating the said roll.

3. Apparatus for bending elongated metallic articles comprising in combination, a rotatable roll, a shoe operatively associated therewith and adapted to exert sidewise pressure against an article between the roll and shoe, means for rotating the roll, means for actuating the shoe, and a single control directly connected to eachv of said means for actuating the roll and shoe.

' tating the roll, a plurality of pivoted leversl 4. Apparatus for bending elongated metall lic articles comprising in combination, a rotatable roll, a keeper operatvely associated therewith, fluid pressure means'forf moving the keeper toward the roll, a fluid pressure control valve, positive driving means for r0- operatively associated with each other for simultaneous movement and connected to the said valve and to said roll driving means to actuate the same in unison.

5. Apparatus for bending elongated metallic articles comprising in combination, a bending roll, a keeper operatively associated with the roll, means for supporting the said keeper including a toggle mechanism, a iiuid pressed piston connected tothe vsaid mechanism and a valve for controlling the pressure of fluid on the piston, means for rotating the roll and means forv simultaneously actuating the said valve and the said roll rotating means.

6. Apparatus for bending elongated metallic articles comprising in combination a rotatable bending roll, a follower shoe, .a keeper movable relative to and adapted to exert pressure upon an article between the roll and shoe, and means including a tripping device for automatically interrupting .the rotation -of the roll and releasing the keeperY from the follower shoe.

7 Apparatus for bending elongated metallic articles comprising in combination, a rotatable bending roll, a follower shoe, a keeper movable relative thereto and supporting the said shoe, a trip device operable by the bending roll, and means including a plurality of pivoted levers actuated by movement of the .y trip device for interrupting rotation of the roll and releasing the keeper.

8. Apparatus for bending elongated metalvlic articles comprising in combination, a

bending roll, means for rotating the said roll including a clutch having a handlever, a

keeper operatively associated with the said roll, means for actuating the keeper, and means including a single control for actuat ing Vthe'roll and the keeper, the said means 2'. Apparatus for bending elongated metalhaving a hand lever disposed closely adjacent lic articles comprising in combination, a roto the said lever of the clutch means.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aiix our 1th day of February, 1926.

HARRY E. HARVEY. EARL K. HOLMES. 

